The present invention relates to an electronic connector for a cable. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electronic connector having advanced cable termination and grounding features to provide a high-speed I/O interface for coupling the cable to an electronic device.
A standard (Serial ATA—www.serialata.org) has been developed that defines a new, high-speed I/O interface for the computer industry. The Serial ATA specification, among other things, defines the connector mating interface(s) but does not specify the termination methodology. The specification entitled “Serial ATA: High Speed Serialized AT Attachment”, Revision 1.0, dated Aug. 29, 2001, is incorporated herein by reference. The present invention relates to an improved methodology for terminating a connector to a specified cable, or other similar cable.
According to an illustrated embodiment of the present invention, an electronic connector apparatus is provided for a cable having a plurality of signal conductors and a ground. The apparatus comprises an insulative body including a plurality of contact-receiving openings formed therein, a conductive strip coupled to an end portion of the cable in contact with the ground of the cable, and a plurality of contacts located in the plurality of contact-receiving openings of the body. The plurality of contacts include a plurality of signal contacts coupled to the signal conductors of the cable, and at least one ground contact coupled to the conductive strip to provide a ground connection between the cable ground and the at least one ground contact through the conductive strip.
In one illustrated embodiment, the at least one ground contact is a separate piece from to the conductive strip. In another illustrated embodiment, the at least one ground contact is formed integrally with the conductive strip.
Also according to the present invention, an electronic connector apparatus is provided for a cable having a plurality of signal conductors and a ground. The apparatus comprises an insulative body including a plurality of contact-receiving openings formed therein, and a contact array including a carrier strip and a plurality of contacts coupled to the carrier strip. The plurality of contacts are located in the plurality of contact-receiving openings of the body. Selected ones of the plurality of contacts are coupled to the signal conductors of the cable. The carrier strip is coupled to an end portion of the cable in contact with the ground of the cable to provide a ground connection between the cable ground and at least one of the plurality of contacts.
In an illustrated embodiment, the carrier strip includes at least one retention section that is configured to pierce the end portion of the cable to couple the carrier strip and the contact array to the cable. In one illustrated embodiment, the retention section is electrically coupled to a ground shield located within the cable.
In another illustrated embodiment, at least one end cap is coupled to the body to prevent plastic from entering a mating area of the body during an overmolding process. The at least one end cap illustratively includes at least one spring arm to couple the at least one end cap to the body.
In yet another illustrated embodiment, the contact array includes a plurality of couplers configured to couple the selected contacts to the signal conductors of the cable electrically, without the use of solder. Illustratively, the plurality of couplers are insulation displacement contact sections.
In another illustrated embodiment, the cable ground includes at least one drain wire extending from the end portion of the cable. The carrier strip is coupled to the end portion of the cable in contact with the at least one drain wire to provide a ground connection between the at least one drain wire and at least one of the plurality of contacts.
Also according to the present invention, a method is provided for coupling an electrical connector to a cable having a plurality of signal conductors and a ground. The method comprises providing an insulative body including a plurality of contact-receiving openings formed therein, providing a contact array including a carrier strip and a plurality of contacts, the carrier strip being used to support the plurality of contacts during a forming process, inserting the plurality of contacts into the contact-receiving openings of the body, coupling the carrier strip to an end portion of the cable, and separating selected ones of the plurality of contacts from the carrier strip.
In an illustrated embodiment, method further comprises coupling selected ones of the plurality of contacts to the signal conductors of the cable. The illustrated method further comprises coupling the carrier strip to the ground of the cable to provide a ground connection between cable ground and at least one of the plurality of contacts.
In another illustrated embodiment, the method further comprises attaching at least one end cap to the body to prevent plastic from entering a mating area of the body, and overmolding portions of the body, the carrier, and the cable.
Additional features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrated embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.